Embroidery and Fancy Work/Wood Carving
WOOD CARVING.
Modelling, wood carving, working in papier maché, or in boiled leather, are all arts which are comparatively easy of attainment, (that is, so far as decorative work is concerned), to all who have attained a fair proficiency with the pencil. Not only so, but they themselves will aid the amateur in attaining that proficiency. Here, as in everything that is worth doing at all, one must be willing to begin at the lower round of the ladder. Diligent practice will soon give you the control of your tools; after that, your progress need only be limited by your talent.
The first essential is to provide yourself with good tools. Do not get fancy tools, such as are put up in sets for amateur's use, but make up your set as you find out your needs. The best tools are of English make, and should have ash handles. Short handles, not more than three inches in length, are preferable for beginners, but experts can get a firmer grip of their tools with longer handles. Carpenter's gouges and chisels can be used, the principal difference between them and carver's tools being in the shape of the edge. In the latter, the tool is ground on both sides, giving a roof-shaped edge. Carpenter's tools having an edge on one side only, have to be frequently turned in the using.
A full set of carver's tools would be about thirty in number, but half a dozen will do for a beginner, and it will probably be a year before you will need more than a dozen. It is always best to have few tools in the beginning and to learn thoroughly the use of the few. The same rule applies in almost all—indeed, I may safely say in all—the minor arts. Some of the most delicate carvings in China have been executed with most awkward and inconvenient tools.
One of the first necessities for wood carving is a common table, strength and weight being important qualities. To this your work should be screwed or nailed (using French points for nailing) at first, but as you progress a hold-fast and carver's screw will be necessary. When you find these essential they can be procured at a tool shop.
A tracing wheel, such as is used by saddlers, is a very important tool, as are also a few punches or stamps for the background, but a little ingenuity will enable you to substitute other tools for them if they are not to be had. A few hollow gouges, a few flat ones, and some chisels, are essential, as well as a V or parting tool. A mallet, a rasp, and a couple of tiles (a half round and a bastard), will make up the list of necessary tools. You can begin with only one chisel of each kind. As you proceed in carving, you will find it very desirable to learn a little of carpentry. The best way is to take a few practical lessons from a carpenter. Tools should be kept very sharp. In every place some one can be found from whom you can learn just how to sharpen them. The edges having been ground will often need "setting." This should be done roughly with a Turkey oil stone, an Arkansas stone being used for the finishing up. Remember that the chisels should be ground on both sides. For setting the inside edge of the gouges and parting tool, small pieces of oil stone, ground down to the size and shape of the tools, and fastened into pieces of wood are used. These are called "slips."
Before attempting a piece of real carving, become used to your tools. Take some simple design, and having drawn it or transferred it on the wood, go over the edges with the tracing wheel, which has sharp points like the rowel of a spur. If you have no wheel, go over it with a sharp bodkin, or a piece of sharp new knitting needle, set into a wooden handle, pricking out the outline by this means. Now take your parting tool and cut away a light groove, keeping just outside the dotted line already pricked out. Work slowly and lightly, as, if you attempt to hurry, the result will probably be that you will dig your tool in too deep, and tear up the wood in a very ragged and ugly manner, or perhaps you may break the edge of your tool. Make your cuts light and short at first. You can deepen this outline groove by going over it repeatedly with the same tool.
Instead of running the outline groove with the parting tool, you can "stab out" the same line with a tool exactly corresponding to the outline of the design. Hold it so that while close to the line the cut will slope a little outwards, and with a slight blow with a mallet or with a push of your hand cut into the wood. Repeat this process till the whole design is outlined.
The next step is to cut away the ground, leaving the design in relief. With a flat gouge or chisel cut this gradually away, beginning a little way from the outline and cutting towards it, and afterwards carefully cutting away the centre. Make it as smooth as you can, finishing it up, if desired, with a curved file. The edges of the design may be gently rounded off with a rasp and sand paper. Small polishers, to be used in getting into corners, etc., can be made by taking sticks of wood, shaping their ends to suit the difficult spots, dipping them into glue and then into sand. Blow all the sand out of your work, and indent the background with the stiletto, or punches used for the purpose. The more thoroughly this is done, the better the design will look. Oil thoroughly, wipe dry, and rub long and patiently with a pine stick.
A motto, formed of Gothic letters, or a Gothic border, forms a good design for first attempts. Foliage should be kept until later.
It is a good plan to practice running lines with gouges and chisels until you have the same mastery over it that you would have over a pencil.
In this way you will become able to carve with a free touch, giving the element of originality which adds so much to the value of the work. Practice thoroughly on simple forms, such as ivy or oak leaves, before attempting more involved designs.
Beginners generally use black walnut, but oak, pear and apple woods are all beautiful. Lime or linden wood can be cut easily and then stained to any color. Any wood can be stained a dark walnut stain. Take a common umber, or Vandyke brown powder, mix it with beer or strong coffee; coat your wood well with it; rub it off when dry and repeat the process. If you wish it darker add a little lamp black and spirits. Oak may be darkened by washing it with strong soda water. The dyes for wood sold in paint stores are also as a rule very satisfactory. A good ebonizing process is as follows: Wash the article first with a strong decoction of logwood. Give three or four coats of this wash, letting each one get thoroughly dry. Then wash it with vinegar in which steel or iron filings or scraps have been steeping for some days. When dry, put on thin shellac with a soft cloth, thus giving it the dull polish of ebony.
When you first attempt foliage, get if possible a carved copy, or a plaster cast. Modelling the leaf in clay, leather, or papier maché will aid materially in learning to carve it. The hollows of the leaf should be very carefully cut away, or rather, to use Mr. Leland's words, "shaved away."
Intaglio carving, in which the design is sunk into the ground instead of standing out in relief, is an easy va-
 Fig. 24. |
 Fig. 25. |
riety of carving and is very useful in forming moulds for papier maché and leather work.
Carving in the round is an advance on carving in relief, which can be reached by the amateur if he takes heed to his ways and works up to it slowly.
Study good carving when possible. Real work will teach more than any amount of engraved designs. Figs. 24 and 25 are designs which may be used as borders or for frames, etc. The illustrations given in the chapter on Leather Work are also excellent patterns for carving.